Separatob



E. A. BAYLIS.

CENTRIFUGAL SEPABATOR.

APPLICATION msn Aue.2-3,|915.

1,308,271. PatentedJu1y 1,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

K ttovmw E. A. BAYUS. CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOH.

I APPLICATION FILED AUG.23| 1915- 1,308,2'7 1 Patented July 1, 1919.

s SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'nvEnEsT n. nanars, or, reset Tunas.

i cnnrnirucnn snrnnaron.

i Specication of Letters-Patent. i Patient-ed July 1, 1919.

. A application ine-d august aa; 1915. serial No. 46,961.

To all whomlz't'may concern @Be it known that I, EVEREST fA. BAYLIS,

i citizen "of the United States, residin at El (Paso, in the county of Ellaso and tate of Texas, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Separators, of

'which the dfolloltng. is a specification;

This intention relates to improvements in yQ -centrifugal separating machines for separating heavier from lighter' material by centrifugal force, and particularly to improvements in centrifugal machines of the typedisclosed in my prior application Serial x .Y No.84s6,524, filed JuneZQ, 19M, embodying it a pluralityofseparatingdrums or receptal cles arranged to `rotate about a common axis with respect 'to each other and which are also axially vrotatable independently of such commofaxis upon-their ownfaxesat' a desired speed or speeds. v- The primary object of the inventionis to provide a novel and vsimplified constructionf of machine of the-type specified wherein the l drumsfor receptacles are mounted upon a` continuous driving shaft for rotation ltheref with, and are also rotatable `about their own z struc-tionvof the shaft. f

- axes `through .the medium ofanovel con gearing betweenthesanie and A y further which l,drums and coperating separating devices .of ,im rovedfconstruction are provided for facilitating and increasing the ei ciency [of-separation of materials of different `si'oecificjgravities and @di scl iargingl them w l separatelyV ,-i'llto 'dili'erentreceptaclest f "QA `still 'furtherobject'of the' invention is .to provide meanswhereby rthe drums orl re'- ill ceptacles `may beinclined yto differentdegrees withf respectto their centers .of rotation to vary their'working slope or angle to ,secure thebest results accordingto the charjy acter 'of the material which' is under treat' nient.

different', specicfgravity from eachother 'for for. separating sohds 'from' and clar-g` {fying' the latter. Y

With' these and'otherobjects the .invention consists in the featurefnf-jcon- 'object eff-the investi-0n; is to" provide a centrifugalseparating machine in ferred form of my invention;

Fig. l2 lis a sectional plan .View onthe line Fig/ 3 is` a fragmentary sectional plan view on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a detailed plan viewof the eccentric mechanism associated with one of the drums for varying the working angle or slope thereof;`

-Fig 5 is a diametric plan view of one of the separating drums or receptacles;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentaryperspective view thereof, showing the loop or return portion of the ange or rifile thereof; i

FigI 7 is a View of one of the water supply plres Fig. 8 s a detail section on the line 8-.8`

of Fig. 1, looking downward; l v

. Fig. -9 isya fragmentary sectional View 'showing the application of a modified form of separator for sepa-rating solids from liqnids; andv Fig. 10 `is a view ofthe supporting. yoke employed in Fig. 9. i A Like characters of reference designate simi-lar parts throughoutthe different figuresiof the'drawings. l

' -As `illustrated,11 designates a supporting bearing upon the base ofthe machine, which .-is'in the form of a spider having armsy 2 radlatlng fromthe post bearing 1 and connectedby an ou-ter'spider rim 3, adapted to be secured to a suitable foundation. Arisingfroxn the base are standards or Auprights 4 whichniay be tied. and braced in any suit` ablefmanner and which are-secured to and carry attheir upper ends a bearing bracket yarranged in axial alinement with the base bearing 1.., A continuous shaft 6 is journaled at `its `lowere-nd 'upper ends in the respective bearin inembersfl and' and carriesa drive pulleyj wherebyit'may be rotated from any suitablejs'ourceof power. -A hollow sleeve* 'lorl'shaftf urrounds; the shaft 6 ata' point immediate #thereof randcarries a pulley 9 whereby 1t Ikinayfloe driven independently of the shaft a f rcinanyl-suitable' source of power, thesaid above; `the transverse center shaft 8 revolving with and about the shaft as hereinafter described, and is arranged to mounted to tilt within` a socket receive the material from a superpos'ed chute or vconductor 12 `carried by the arms 4 of the stationary framework, and towhich the pulp or material is conducted from aprimary source of supply through ay pipe or conductor 13. i

Fixed to the shaft 6 is a collar or head 14, which is thus mounted for rotation with said shaft, and formed in this collar or head is an' annular series of openings 15, equal in number to the separating drums or receptacles 16 employed. Each of these drums or receptacles 16, as illustrated in one form of the invention, consists of a vertical cylinder open' at its lower end for the discharge of the vseparated substances and provided at its upper end with a head 17 secured to or provided with a bearing sleeve or collar 18 mounted to revolve with and about a supply pipe or tube 19 xed to and depending from the hopper 1l. v

The supply pipes or tubes 19, which are equal in number to the separating drums, are provided for the discharge of the pulp or material from the hopper to the respective drums, and are provided at their lower ends with laterally bent or curved discharge nozzles 20, extending outwardly and in close proximity to the concentrating or separating surface of the drum. I The bearing sleeve 18 ispjournaled in a suitable type of anti-friction joint member or knuckle 21 which is the openingl, the meeting surfaces of the knuckle and socket wall being segmentally curved so as to adapt the depending separating drum or receptacle 8 to be supported in aperpendicular position or to be tilted at an angle to the perpendicular to vary the 'slope or inclination of its separating surface,

as hereinafter fully described.

The pulpor material entering the upperl vportion'of each rotary drum or receptacle 8 1s discharged against the relatively outer surface of the-inner wall of the drum,'which Wall of the drum is provided wit-l1 a spiral fiange or riiie 22 of )ust suiicient width or extent of projection to engage and carry the solid matter of the pulp upward in the rotation of the receptacle, which revolves with the shaft' 6 in the dire'ctionof the arrow shown in Fig. 4, and upon its own axis in the direction of the arrow illustrated in Fig. 2. The lupper convelutions of this spiral riiile are connected Vby a loop or return portion v23, forming a bucket or collecting portion by which the solid material separated from formed by v deflector. 27 and caused to Y--the lighter material and carried upward to the top of the separator drum will be transferred from the separating to the discharging surface of the wall of the drum, as hereinafter fully described. p

Assuming that the material to be treated is a mineral ore,l and that the heavy mineral matter contained therein is.to be separated from the gangue or tailings, it will be understood that the material discharged from the spout or nozzle 20 will be thrown outward byfcentrifugal force into engagement with the outer separating or concentrating surface .2i of the inner wall.of the drum, which is at the greatest distance from the center of rotation of the drum, and will be picked up and heldr by tl1e.flange or riiiie and carried upwardlythereby to' the top of the drumfin the rotation of said drum, while the lighter tailings or gangue matter separated by centrifugal action from the mineral matter will pass downwardly and discharge through the bottom of the drum. The concentrates or heavy mineral matter thus carried to the top of the drum after being separated from the lighter matter or tailings will be conducted by the loop or return portion 23 to the innermost or discharge surface 25 of the inner wall of the drum, which is closest to the center o'fvrotation 0f said drum, for discharge as hereinafter explained. It will be evidentvfrom the foregoing description that the spiral riiiie is pitched to carry the heavy material upward toward the .atop of the receptacle, assisted by centrifugal action, thus causing the precipitation of the tailings or lighter matter which will fall downward along a line between the axial center and the. concentrating lor separating surface of the drum.

Arranged within each drum is a downwardly and outwardly inclined discharge trough 26,l which extends from the top of the drum downwardly through the bottom of the drum. This trough 26 is of concavo-.con- 1J l vex form, its convex and concave sides being presented, respectively, toward the concentrating or separating and discharging surfaces 24 and 25 of the drum. The4 trough is of segmental form in cross section and car- 115 ries at its upper end a segmental shield or deiector 27, extending on the arc of a circle return portion of the riie from the concentrating to the discharge surface 'of the drum are dashed by centrifugal force against the slide by gravity and centrifugal force downward along the inner side of the trough 26 into a concen- 13 force into a separate receptacle 30, fromwhich the tailings may be removed in any preferred manner. The respective receptalcles 28 and 30 are carried by the base of the machine and are annular in form, as shown, the recepta-cle Q8 being arranged above a lid or cover fixed to the shaft and provided with openings 32 in line with the drums for the passage of the concentrates from said drums to said receptacles.

It will be evident that the pulp to be treated is distributed equally among all of the concentra'tor or separator drums by the centrifugal motion of. the machine, thus maintaining a perfect balance of the ma'- chine, and that as the pulp is fed to the machine near the center of the machine very little power is required to put it into motionwith the machine and accordingly itis being revolved at the same speed as the machine before it is forced into the cylinders. As the separator drums revolve the air contained in that side of each drum nearest the center of the machine or center of, rotation is thrown outward or toward the opposite side of the drum farthest from the center of the machine or center of rotation, thus causing a partialvacuum or decrease of air pressure on the particles of the' material contained in the riled loop or bucket` This decrease of air pressure greatly facilitates the discharge of the heavy particles or concentrates in the bucket, the concentrates being thereby discharged both by centrifugal force and suction against the troughor discharge chute. vacuum in each drum another advantage is gained in that the pulp is not only forced into each drum-by centrifugal force, in equal proportion to each drum, but feeds thereto under great pressure and drawn in by' conslderable suction, thus requiring but a comparatively small feed opening, as under these conditions the pulp travels at a very high velocity.

ln order to facilitate discharge of the material downwardly along the trough and l surface .of the receptacle, I may provide means suchgas a pipe 33 whereby streams of water may be projected into the trough and drum' to flush the same and thereby facilitate the discharge of the material. These pipes extend upward through the supply tubesl or pipes 18 and communicate with a water reservoir 34 to which leads a water supply pipe 35, which reservoir 34 is provided with an inclined or spiral shelf. 36, the reservoir being mounted to rotate with the hopper 11, and the' water being conducted by the spiral shelf in such a way as By thus forming a partial to revent its excessive agitation under centri ugal force and secure its even and regular flow to the water supply pipes. It will be understood that the water. discharged against the, pulp travelin upward toward the collecting, surface of tde riiile facilitates the separation of the light, from the heavier particles by washing away lfrom theheavier particles all the light weight material which may be retained thereby. On account of their moisture coating the heavier particles are further increased in weight to facilitate their vseparation from the lighter material. The spray or wash water coming in contact with the inclined trough or chute tends, under the combinedl force of gravity and centrifugal action, to rush downwardly, thus further scouring or washing the heavier particles of any light material thatf may be carried thereby, and which have not been before discharged, while at the same time facilitating the discharge of the heavier particles themselves along the chute. The means for revolving the drums consists of a crown bevel gear 37 ony the sleeve or shaft 8 which meshes with'bevel gears 38 uponl radial shafts 39 journaled in suitable gear casings upon the head 14. which shafts carry worms 40 meshing` with worm gears 41 on the bearing sleeves of the drums, whereby It will beA seen from the foregoing de-l scription that when the apparatus is set into actionand supplied with the pulpor other material to be treated, a rapid and efficient separating action'will be secured, and' that the discharge of the material may be facilitated by the use of streams of Vwaterfrom the supply pipes whenever desired. tvwill also be evident that the separating action will be more complete and more rapidly effected, inasmuchas through the described construction of the drum and arrangement of the discharge trough therein the heavier and lighter materials when separated will be kept separated and separately discharged. lt will, of course, be understood that the machine may be revolved at. greater or less speed, according to the character of the material to be treated and the degree of separation desired. To facilitate the separatingact-ion and control the feeding and separatory action of the spiral riilie in the treatment of material carrying `tailings or gangue heavier or lighter than the'average, l provide means whereby thepitch or slope of each separator drum may be varied to correspondingly vary the working angle of the riiile. As shown in the resent instance, the' drums extend downwar through openings imi `in a second collaror head 42 fixed to the main shaft 6 and rotate in anti-friction bearings 43, between which and the walls of the openings are interposed cam devices, each` consisting of a pair of cam rings 44,and 45, said .rings having rack teeth 46 engaged by an adjusting gear 47, whichmay be manually operated in any suitable manner, whereby the eccentricrings may be turned or rotated in opposite directions to vary the arrangeyment of their veccentric surfaces, so as to tilt the drum to vary its pitch or slope and, correspondingly, the working pitcher slope of the riflie, as will be readily understood. The

surface" of the outer ring is segmental in form, and the wall of the opening 1n thev 1 substances, such as for concentrating, as one Y n tion, which -shelf conducts the material outl instance of the separation of solids, as before-described or for separating a solid from a liquid and vc arifying the latter. As illusy trated in Figs. 9 and 10, I may employ interchangeably with the drums 8 drums 8, in the nature of comparatively wide and shallow vessels, each having at its upper end a sloping catch basin48' to direct the material entering through the supply pipe or tube downwardly and preventing it from flyingy directlyoutward by centrifugal force. The material entering the drum falls upon a horizontal baffle or'partition plate 49 extending outwardly toward the .portion of the surface .of the drumf'rthest from the center of rotawardly toward theperi'phery` ofthe drum, in whichfthe solid collects, such solid being carried around from the outer separating surface 50 to the inner discharge surface 51l in the rotation of the drum and projected by centrifugal force-against the` deflecting surface 52 of a discharge trough 53, which may be ofthe form and construction previously described, whereby the solid matter is directed to an outlet or receptaclefl, while the clarified liquid flows outward through an opening 55 into a receptacle 56. The two types of` drum are thus interchangeable in character, whilefmodied in construction to degrees necessary for the treatmentof .solids and liquids, and it will, of course, rbe understood that other modifications within the i scope of the` invention may be employed as occasionanay require for the treatment of various kinds of solids and'liquds which l ried inaccordance with the character of the -material under' treatment. `The baffle and .lectin trough are supported iny position by a bracket 57. l

. I claim as my invention:

1. A centrifugal separator including a central shaft, drums carried and rotatable with said shaft and also rotatable aboutl their own axes, each of said drums having a riiied separating surface, means for driving the central shaft, means for rotating the drums therefrom, and means for varying the angle of the axes of the drums with relation ing the drum.

4. A centrifugal separator including a drum rotatable in a fixed orbit and also about its own axis and having a riflle therein, discharge mechanism within the drum and cooperating with the rile, and means for tilting-the drum at an angle to vary the workmg angle of the rille.

5. A centrifugal separator including a central shaft, a frame carried by and rotata ble with said shaft, a'second shaft rotatable about the central shaft,- drums carried by the frame for rotation with said frame and central shaft, said drums being'also rotatable about their own axes, separating means within the drums, a gear upon the second named shaft, a series of horizontal radial sha'fts grouped about the central shaft, gears upon the inner ends of said radial shafts meshing with the first named gears, worms carried by said radial shafts, and gears upon the drums meshing therewith.

6. In a centrifugal separator, a separator drum having aspiral riiie upon-the inner wall thereof, said rile terminating at its upper end in a portion formed to provide a colpocket.

l centrifugal separator including a central shaft, a hollow shaft revoluble about the central shaft, a series of drums carried by and rotatable with the central shaft and also rotatable about their own axes, each of said drums having a rifiied separating surface, discharge mechanismwithin each drum for coperation withA said rilied surface, means for -driving the central shaft, means for drivi the holow shaft, and gearing between said ollow shaft and the drums.

8. A centrifugal separatorl including a central shaft, a frame carried by and rotata-v ble with said shaft, a hollow shaft rotatable shaft and hollow shaft at different rates of" speed.

9. A centrifugal separator including a rotary drum having a spiral ange or riflie therein, discharge mechanism within the drum for cooperation with the riiied portion of the drum, means for bodily rotating said drum in a fixed orbit and also rotating it about its own axis, and means for varying the angle of the drum with respect to lits centers of rotation.

10. A centrifugal separator including a drum rotatable in a fixed orbit and also rotatable about its axis, said drum having a spiral riffle therein, discharge mechanism within the drum for coperation with said rifiie, and means for varying the angle of inclination of the rflied surface of the drum with respect to the centers of motion of the drum.

` 11. A centrifugal separator including a drum rotatable in -a fixed orbit and about its axis, said drum having a spiral rifflefthere-in, discharge mechanism within the drum and cooperating with the riiled surface of the drum, and eccentric means for varying the position of the drum and the angle of its riiiied surface with respect toits centers of rotation.

12. A centrifugal separator including a drum rotatable inv a fixed orbit and about its own axis, said drum having a spiral riiiie therein, a combined journal and pivotal support ,for the drum, eccentric means surrounding the drum for varying the position of the drum and the angle of inclination of its rii'led surface with respect to its centers of rotation, and means for driving the drum.

18. A centrifugal separator including a central shaft, a second shaft revoluble about the central shaft, separating drums journaled upon and pivotally supported from the central shaft, said drums being revoluble with said shaft, means for rotating the drums about their axes from the hollow shaft, and means carried by the central shaft for tilting said drums to vary their position and the angle of inclination of their working surfaces with respect to their centers of rotation.

14. A -centrifugal separator including aV drum rotatable in a fixed path and about its own axis, said drum having a spiral riiiled inner surface, a feed device extending into the drum to deliver the material at one side of the center thereof, a stationary trough arranged within thedrum and havin@ a convexsurface adjacent said side of the drum tand al concave surface adjacent the opposite Side of the drum, said drum being adapted to carry the heavier particles from the top of the drum from the first-named to the sec ond-named side and force .the same by centrifugal action against the concave side of the trough, and means lfor rotating the drum.

15. A centrifugal separator including a central shaft, a frame carried by androtatable with said shaft, a hollow shaft rotatable vabout the central shaft, separating drums journaled for rotation upon the frame and also pivotally mounted upon said frame so as to be tilted to different working angles, said drums being rotatable with the central shaft and frame, gearing for rotating the drums about their own axes from said hollow shaft, separating means upon the interior of the drums, and means for collecting the separated substances from the drums.

16. In a centrifugal separator, an upright drum rotatable about a vertical axis and having a spiral riiie formed upon the inner Wall thereof, said rilile terminating at its upper end in a rentrant portion forming a collecting pocket.

17. In a centrifugal separator, a separator drum comprising an upright cylinder rotatable about a vertical axis and having a spiral rifile formed upon the interior thereof, said riffle terminating at its upper end in a re'e'ntrant portion forming a collecting pocket, `and means for tilting the drum upon its axis to vary the working angle of the riifle.

18. n a separating machine, a, separator drum. having a riiiled interior surface comprising `a spiral thread terminating at its top in a rentrant portion forming a collecting bucket.

19. In a centrifugal separator, a separator drum rotatable about an external 'axis and also about its own axis, said drum having a riffled interior surface oon'iprising a spiral thread adapted to catch the heavier particles of material and feed the same toward the top of the drum, said thread having at its upper portion a return portion or loop forming a bucket to hold the particles for discharge by centrifugal force when the pocket reaches the side of the drum closest to the center of rotation.

Q0. In a centrifugal machine, a separator drum rotatable about an external axis and also about its own axis, said drum having a spiral riflle therein provided with a collecting portion, and a trough arranged to collect the material discharged from said collecting portion when said portion reaches a position between the two axes lof rotation.

21.. In a centrifugal separator, a separating drum rotatable about yan external axis vso and also about its own axis, said drinn being provided with a riiiied surface having a terminal collecting portion, means for discharging the material to be treated against the outer side of the inner face of the drum, and a relatively stationary trough within the drinn extending longitudinally thereof between the inner and outer surfaces of its riiiled portion.

In a centrifugal separator, a separating drum rotatable about an external axis and also about its own axis, said'driun having a rifiied separating surface terminating in a. collecting and discharge portion, a conductor entering the t-op of the drum for discharging the material against the outer side of said riflied surface, a trough extending longitudinally within the drinn between the inner and outer portions of its riiiied surface, and means` for discharging water within the drinn and against the respective surfaces In a centrifugal separator, a separator drum rotatable about an external axis and also about its own axis, and means for varying the axis of the drinn with relation to the j external axis.

24. In -a centrifugal separator, a separator drinn rotatable about an external axis and also about its own axis, and means for adj listing the drinn to dispose its axis parallel with or at an angle to such external axis.

drum rotatable about an external axis and also aboutl its own axis, said drinn being pivotally supported at one end, and means operative upon the other end of the drinn for adjusting said drinn to dispose its axis at different angles to such external axis.

:27. In a centrifugal separator, a separator drum rotatable about an external axis and also about its own'axis, said drinn being pivotally supported at its upper end, and means acting upon the lower end of the drinn for swinging said drum upon its pivotal support to adjust its axis at an angle to such external axis.

28. In a centrifugal separator, a separator drinn rotatable about an external axis and also about its own axis, said drinnheing supported for tilting movements, and means for tilting thedi'um to dispose its axis at different angles to such external axis.

29. In a centrifugal separator, a separator drum rotatable about an external axis and also about its own axis. said drinn 'being pivotally supported to tilt at different angles .tothe externa-l axis. and an eccentric ring surrounding the drum and adjustable to tilt the drum to dispose its axis at different angles to such external axis.

30. In a centrifugal separator, a central axis, a series of drums grouped about said l ends of the drums and adjustable to tilt said drums to dispose their axes at different angles to the central axis.

31. In a centrifugal separator, a central axis, a group of drums extending around and revolnble about said central axis and also about their own axes, said drums having pivotal supports at their upper ends, feed inlets extending into the drums through said pivotal supports, and means for adjusting the drums on the pivotal supports to vary the angle of their axes with relation to the central axis.

32. In a centrifugal separator, a separator drum rotatable about an external axis and also about its own axis, said drum being provided with a riiled separating surface and means for adjusting Said drum at different angles with relation to the external axis to vary the working angle of the rilile.

33. In acentr'ifugal separator, a central shaft, a hollow shaft journaled upon the central shaft, means for driving said shafts,

a frame carried by the hollow shaft and including aliopper, an annular series of Separator drums arranged below the hopper and \having inlets at their upper ends leading from the hopper, a water receptacle extending into the hopper, water supply pipes extending from said receptacle through said inlets and into said separator drums, and means for rotating the drums as they revolve about the central axis on their own axes.

34. In a centrifugal separator, a vertically disposed separator drum rotatable about an outside axis and also about its own axis,v said drum having a spiral rifiie therein terminating at its upper end'in a bucket or collecting portion, a trough or deflector extending longitudinally within the drinn in spaced relation to the inner and outer surfaces thereof, and means for conducting the material to be treated into the top of the drinn and against the outer side of the rililed surface, whereby on the rotation of the drum the heavy particles will travel upward and be caught in the bucket and discharged against the side of the trough which is closer to the center of rotation of the drum.

In a centrifugal separator, a. separa tor drum rotatable about an external axis and also about its own axis, said drum havino` a spiral riile arranged therein and providcil ing stationary with res ect to the drum and against the relatively inner surface of the 1o disposed edgewise in t e direction of rotatrough.

tion of the drum about the external axis, and lIn testimony whereof I affix my signature e feed device entering the top of the drum in presence of two witnesses.

:md disposed between the outer surface of the trough and outer side of the drum,v EVEREST A' BAYLIS' lwhereby the heavy material will be caused Witnesses: to travel upwardly on the inclined riie and EVA W. SPRINGER, to be caught in said bucket anddischarged BENNETT S. JONES. 

